2010/1 Also available at http://www.icid.org Managing water for sustainable agriculture

Prime Minister of India Dr. Inaugurates 5th Asian Regional Conference

It was a historic occasion for ICID during its Diamond Jubilee year. Dr. Manmohan Singh joined us to inaugurate the 5th Asian Regional Conference held alongside of 60th International Executive Council Meeting. The ICID event stood glorified with the joining of a galaxy of Cabinet Ministers in India – Finance Minister Dr. Pranab Mukerjee, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources Mr. Pawan Kumar Bansal, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia; Minister of State for Communication and Information Technology Mr. Sachin Pilot, and State Minister of Water Resources Mr. , thus assuring the importance assigned to food security by the Govt. of India. The event brought together 740 delegates from 47 countries across the world. The following is the excerpt from the Prime Minister’s inaugural speech.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said that challenges of water scarcity, population growth, and urbanization were more pressing in Asia than any other regions of the world. The climate change is likely to adversely impact on availability of surface and groundwater and its quality, affecting crop producti- vity. Year after year, India faces floods in one part of the country and droughts in another. The challenges of managing water resources in a rational and sustainable manner require actions on many fronts and coordination across different sectors of the economy. To address the complex inter-relationship due to climate change, the ‘National Water Mission’ has brought some action plans. The main objective of which is to achieve integrated water resource management by conserving water, minimizing wastages and ensuring its Prime Minister pointed out that there has from the existing 65% to about 75%. more equitable distribution. The Water to be a greater synergy between agri- Utilization of created irrigation potential is Mission seeks to develop new regulatory cultural policies and water policies for another crucial issue. Efficient water use structures, combined with appropriate achieving food security, especially to the would help in increasing the irrigated entitlements and pricing of water. It poor and vulnerable sections of the cropped area or the intensity of irrigation. endeavors to optimize the efficiency of population, through more efficient and Various available options have to be existing irrigation systems. Incentive sustainable use of scarce water resources. explored. Collaboration in research among structures will be designed to promote Water Resources development and its countries will be very useful in improving water-neutral or water positive techno- efficient use are the priority areas for water use efficiency and promoting logies, recharging of groundwater investment. An assessment of the irrigation sustainable use of water, said the Prime resources and adopting large-scale system in India indicates that efficiencies Minister. irrigation programmes that rely on of surface water schemes can be improved improved irrigation methods like from the present level of 40% to about (Full text of the Prime Minister’s speech sprinklers, drips, and new technologies. 60% and that of groundwater systems can be viewed at http://www.icid.org/ 60iec_messages.htm#pm)

International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage IN THIS ISSUE (ICID) was established in 1950 as a scientific, technical • President’s message 2 • SonTek – Measuring flow 6 and voluntary not-for-profit non-governmental international • Challenges of global food production 3 • Highlights of special sessions 7 organization. The ICID News is published quarterly by ICID Central Office, New Delhi, India. • Highlights of 60th IEC & 5th ARC 4-5 • ICID events 2010-11 8

ICID News 2010/1 1 President’’’s Message

Dear friends and members of the ICID Management Board, the Staff Committee, family, and the Permanent Finance Committee work extremely hard to control costs and In this my first message to you for the drive up the efficiency of the operations. New Year, I take this opportunity to wish These committees do not take their work you and all those close to you, the very lightly, and have been in the vanguard of best of health and happiness for 2010. changing the way the organization May 2010 be a productive and fruitful operates. Your support is therefore critical. year in all your endeavors. It is my fervent wish that ICID, all its national I close by reminding you that the theme committees and work bodies will be of World Water Day this year is: Clean successful in its engagements on topics Water for a Healthy World. Agriculture which we have deemed important in our and our work in ICID are very much various deliberations. We have an impor- embedded in this year’s theme. There is tant agenda ahead of us in terms of water no hiding the fact that agriculture gets a scarcity and food security. And it is very bad rap from the public as a polluter imperative that we focus our efforts on of water. For sure, irrigation and drainage tackling these very important problems. water and runoff carries pesticides, We heard similar messages at the Fifth sediments, fertilizers, and salt. But I have th The successful conclusion of our 60 IEC World Water Forum in Istanbul last year. always said that those of us working in th and 5 Asian Regional Conference in New I therefore urge the national committees water and agriculture have also been Delhi last December was an important and workbodies to take on these issues leaders in devising new drainage and milestone in ICID’s history. Apart from the and report back to us either in your irrigation technologies to control water fact that the Prime Minister of India newsletters or at the upcoming IEC in quality. We have led the development of Hon. Manmohan Singh and several Indian Indonesia on your progress to advance water table management, sub-irrigation, government dignitaries including the such matters. controlled drainage, salt management federal and state Ministers of Water were Let me once again take this opportunity to systems, and riparian buffers all aimed to able to grace our main ceremonies, we improve the quality of water from used the occasion to celebrate ICID’s 60th thank INCID and the Government of India for organizing such an excellent set of agriculture. We have also worked with birthday, and it was particularly important colleagues in wastewater engineering and that all delegates had a chance to visit the meetings, and in making our stay in Delhi so productive and hospitable. It will public health to devise safer methods to Central Office and meet our very diligent reuse wastewater and drainage water for staff. I was particularly pleased to hear always remain one of my most memorable IECs. Last but not least we all owe a irrigation. Furthermore, we understand Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reinforce the complexities of multiple uses of India’s commitment to investing in special word of gratitude to our Secretary General, Mr. M. Gopalakrishnan and the water, and have therefore installed irrigation, and the government’s priority to water quality monitoring networks and double the country’s annual growth rate in staff of Central Office for being so attentive and welcoming. They went out designed rural drinking water systems agriculture. This is exactly the message to safeguard human health, particularly that needs to be heard around the world if of their way to ensure that the meetings occurred without a hitch and that all where irrigation water supplies are we are to reclaim the lost ground that has contaminated by drainage water. led to the current world food crisis. foreign delegates were well received. I exhort our national committees to Several of you mentioned that it was an I therefore implore you to use World aggressively articulate similar messages to excellent opportunity to visit the Central Water Day as an opportunity to showcase governments, and to play a leadership role Office and to put a face to the name. ICID’s leadership in the above topics. As a in pushing the governments to reinvest in The Secretary General and our Central professional body, we have much to offer agriculture and water. Office staff are all hard working people the world. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh further who ensure that ICID business is Yours truly, called on us to engage the private sector conducted in a very professional manner. in irrigation expansion and food In my view, we get very good value for production, and to engage women in our our money, compared to other organizations, and it is important that decision making, since women play a key Chandra A. Madramootoo role in food production in many countries. national committees support the work of Central Office. I can assure you that the President

Prof. Chandra A. Madramootoo reappointed as Dean of Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill Univeristy, Canada McGill University Board of Governors for a further five-year term. He was security. ICID fraternity heartily has reappointed President Chandra A. congratulated by the Board of Governors congratulates Prof. Madramootoo on Madramootoo as Dean of the Faculty of for the leadership that he has shown this occassion and hopes to derive Agricultural and Environmental Sciences regarding finding solutions to global food more from his leadership.

ICID News 2010/1 2 Challenges in Doubling Global Food Production

President Chandra Madramootoo in his opening speech at 60th International Executive Council meeting deliberated on the key issues and challenges in producing sufficient food to meet the demand by the growing world population: A summary

Rising Food Prices: Since last year, rising for many years, ICID need to revisit and food prices have become a global issue; explore its advantage. some economists called the food crisis the ‘Silent Tsunami’, while others attributed it Rainfed Agriculture: In the past decades to ignoring earlier indicators/ signs of the irrigated agriculture has made significant food crisis. There has been declining contribution to the green revolution. investment in agricultural research, in Worldwide, over 50% of our cereal water resources development and production comes from irrigated lands, management, and in agricultural comprising about 40% in the developing production, in general. Since we had countries and 10% in the developed ignored these to our peril, there were riots countries. Given the fact of climate in some countries. Subsequently, Heads of change, drought, water scarcity, ICID States of many countries announced needs to discuss about water harvesting, measures to check rising food prices in water storage, water conservation, and order to avoid political turmoil. management at the watershed scale to be able to grow more than one crop a year Impacts of Bio-fuel: In some countries like in the rainfed areas. Mexico there were riots due to rising corn Germplasm and Biotechnology have flour prices as a result of shifting away of Institutional Reforms: Enhancing of land potential in developing the drought corn for food production to fuel and water productivity through increasing tolerant crop varieties. This alone would production. This was exacerbated by the system efficiency, rehabilitation and not however solve the problem of low collapse of the international banking modernization of infrastructure are to form crop yields. We need to tackle the system, particularly in North America and part of ICID’s agenda. However, in view challenge of managing water. Thus to some extent in the parts of Europe of what is obtained on assets, credits, and adopting an integrated approach of using further worsening the food crisis. As a markets, creating some of the institutional improved germplasm, improved agronomic result, many people in the least developed reforms that would give much higher and water management practices, would and some developing countries were not levels of efficiency and larger returns on narrow the crop yield gap under able to pay for their daily food investments from small holdings will conditions of scarcity and climate change continue to be a challenge. requirements; another 100 million people Involvement of private sector: Globally, or more were added to the population Impacts of Climate Change: The especially in developing countries, it is suffering from the hunger and importance of water management, water still the public sectors that invest heavily malnutrition. Thus all the gains that were harvesting, and water storage should not in agricultural research; very little achieved towards reaching the Millennium be neglected. The arid and semi arid investment for ‘Research and Development Goal1 (MDG1) suffered set tropics are the home to the world’s Development’ comes from the private back. poorest of the poor. Nearly 800 million sector. ICID will have to play a role in Participation of Women: In some countries face the challenges due to unpredictable bringing the private sector in its fold. over 80% of the people producing food climate, low and inadequate rainfall, poor More involvement of the private sector in are women but their contribution has been soils and inadequate physical and social ICID activities is required not just for overlooked for too long. It is therefore infrastructure. It is predicted that in this financial reasons. A closer contact with very important to develop training region the temperature will increase by industry can be mutually rewarding for programs and build capacity to strengthen about 5 degrees Celsius and decrease in knowledge brokering besides more the participation of women in the local the rainfall of about 10% by the year research investments in water and communities. Women’s participation in the 2050. ICID need to address the challenges agriculture. context of improvement in rural of potential impacts of climate change on these areas ICID can rebuild its leadership in livelihoods to stimulate rural economies, irrigation and drainage research to be has assumed priority. Narrowing the yield gap more “client driven” rather than “donor Integrated Rural Development: Land and driven”. There is a need to make some water are valuable assets of any country headway in bringing back ICID at the and play a crucial role in boosting forefront of the research agenda to achieve agriculture production and improving the some of the aforesaid goals and socioeconomic conditions of the people. challenges. Instead of looking at land and water (President Madramootoo’s PPT presentation simply as production units or inputs, one can be accessed at http://www.icid.org/ can use them to access credits and 60iec_president_iec_pp.pdf) markets. Although the concept of integrated rural development is not new  and has been on the international agenda

ICID News 2010/1 3 Highlights of the 60th IEC and 5th ARC

The 60th International Executive Council (IEC) meeting, pre-council workbody meetings, and 5th Asian Regional Conference (ARC) of the ICID were held at the magnificent Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi from 6 to11 December 2009. The event marked the 60th anniversary of the foundation of ICID in India. The theme of the 5th Asian Regional Conference was “Improvement in Efficiency of Irrigation Projects through Technology Up-gradation and Better Operation & Maintenance”. In all 242 papers received for the 5th ARC were presented in 20 Technical Sessions. Over 32 Workbody meetings and 8 Special Sessions were also held on the occasion. The events were hosted by the Indian National Committee of ICID (INCID) with the organizational support from Central Board of Irrigation & Power (CBIP). The key highlights of the event are presented here.

From left: Vice Presidents Mr. S. Ota (Japan), Prof. P. Kovalenko The International Executive Council (IEC) meeting was attended (Ukraine), Prof. L. Ubertini (Italy); President C. Madramootoo by representatives of 31 National Committees/Committee; (Canada), Secretary General M. Gopalakrishnan; Vice Presidents Presidents Hon. ICID and International Organisations Dr. K. Shiati (Iran), Dr. A. Gany (Indonesia) and Dr. E. Lübbe

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Bilateral Collaboration between ICID and Ministry of Energy, Islamic A Special Cover marking the ‘Diamond Jubilee’ Year (1950-2009) Republic of Iran (through IRNCID) was signed by President of the ICID was released by Mr. Sachin Pilot, the Minister of Chandra Madramootoo and H.E. Mohammad Reza Attarzadeh, State for Communications and Information Technology in the Deputy Minister for Water and Waste Water Affairs, Iran presence of Mr. Pawan Kumar Bansal, Minister of Water Resources and Dr. Pranab Mukherjee, Finance Minister

An exhibition of Irrigation Equipments and Closing ceremony was graced by the presence of Finance Minister Dr. Pranab Organisations in Water Sector was Mukherjee as the Chief Guest, Mr. Pawan Kumar Bansal, Minister of Water organised alongside the 5th ARC. It was Resources, Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, participated by 30 agencies from Mr. Vincent H. Pala, Minister of State for Water Resources, Mr. Sachin Pilot, Minister Government and private organisations, of State for Communications & Information Technology companies from abroad and India

ICID News 2010/1 4 New Vice Presidents (2009-12)

Dr. Willem F. Vlotman (Australia) Dr. László G. Hayde (Hungary) Mr. A.K. Bajaj (India)

Profiles of the new Vice Presidents can be viewed at

Retiring Vice Presidents (2006-09)

Dr.-Ing. Eiko Lübbe (Germany) Dr. Karim Shiati (Iran) Ir. Mohd. Azhari bin Ghazalli (Malaysia)

Award Winning Water Saving Contributions 2009

Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Dr. Malcolm Gillies Ahmad (Pakistan)’s (Australia)’s work on contribution in ‘Observational The work of Messrs Shahaji Somawanshi, developing and Approach to the Mr. Arvind Nalkande, a farmer from Bharat Kawale and Sanjay Belsare, India promoting ‘Wheat Optimization of India received a ‘Special Recognition’ for on “Increased Productivity from Bed Seeder’ won Surface Irrigation’ his initiative on “Rainwater Conservation Participatory Management of Bulk Water the Innovative won the Young through Natural Cracks in Deep Black Entitlements” won the Innovative Water Technology Award. Professionals Award. Soils”. Management Award. For details of the award winning water saving contributions, please access

The Best Paper Award 2009 (Australia); and Dr. Gao Zhanyi (China) in Development Scenarios in Qiantang River recognition of their outstanding paper Basin of China” published in Issue 57.4 The Best Paper Award 2009 went to titled “Integrated Water Assessment of Irrigation and Drainage – The Journal Ms. Jianxin Mu (China), Dr. Shahbaz Khan Model for Water Budgeting Under Future of ICID. 

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ICID News 2010/1 6 Highlights of the Special Sessions

On the sidelines of the 60th IEC meeting/ 5th ARC, 8 Special Sessions of current importance were held. This issue covers key highlights of some of them. The remaining sessions will be covered in the next issue of the ICID News.

Mekong River Commission Guidelines’ being drafted by the MRC An overview of the Mekong River Basin’s member States. resources, development opportunities, and challenges were the highlights of this The Climate change Special Session. The importance of may not be a major regional cooperation particularly, ‘Basin issue for the Development Process’ for the water Mekong basin; resources development and planning was however, rapid emphasized. The resettlements related developments in issues are managed on `project by project the basin in the basis’. Rules and procedures for water next 20 years will utilization have been negotiated, agreed have potential and approved by MRC Council. These impacts like include procedures for data and increase in salinity intrusion on The big challenge for MRC would be to information exchange and sharing, Vietnamese delta, impacts on mangrove harmonize and satisfy all those needs of procedures for notification and prior forest, accelerated coastal erosions etc. the riparian states in the near future. consultation and agreement, water use Integrated river basin development Basin development planning programme monitoring, maintenance of flows on the planning might be difficult to achieve would be an important tool in bringing mainstream, and water quality. The without active participation of the the integrated basin perspectives into minimum flows of the Mekong River will upstream countries. The MRC has strong national planning, and for sustainable be implemented based on the procedures modelling tools; however, fishery impacts development and management of water for maintenance of flow on the could not be calculated using resources. mainstream following the ‘Technical hydrological and hydrodynamic models.

Water Governance presented. Good water governance in relationship between water governance combination with physical infrastructure is and Integrated Water Resource The Middle Eastern Water Governance the key to the effective, fair, and efficient Management (IWRM), and the challenges Benchmarking Project was devised to sharing of increasingly scarce water of scaling up a water governance characterizing countries’ capacity for water resources. assessment program was emphasized. It governance: it has evolved a methodology was concluded that trans-boundary basin It was suggested to recognize importance for assessing and benchmarking national governance is a perspective that strives for of dealing with variability and the level water governance. An overview of sustainable, equitable and efficient water differences in practicing water governance the water governance concepts, the resources management, while in closed and open basins. Indonesian project’s approach to assessing water incorporating the political realities of case of dealing the challenges of governance, and the online database for international borders. Building the governing multiplicity of organizations capacity of trans-boundary institutions is a the project (www.rewab.net), which involved was mentioned. The importance enables researchers to query policy and key to mitigating future conflicts over of developing sound indicators of the international water resources. legal documents in the database was quality of water-related services, the

Future of Irrigation in Asia irrigated lands would still remain central Water productivity can be worked out in meeting the food demand. Groundwater from the district to sub-district level to Irrigation will continue to play an irrigation plays a significant role and national and the basin level, using both important role in Asia in view of the irrigation reform is needed to make it conventional measures as well as remote recent food crisis and climate change perform better. However, virtual water sensing techniques. There is a scope in threats. By 2050, population in Asia will trade would remain politically challenging improving water productivity through reach 5.0 billion people, up from 3.5 solution. And the dependence on rainfed increasing crop yields, wider access to billion in 2000. In much of Asia, land and farming alone could be risky. The use of groundwater irrigation, improved farm water resources are already used the term “atomistic irrigation” to describe management practices, multiple use of intensively and there is not much scope groundwater irrigation is not appropriate water for irrigation as well as fish for expansion. While a judicious since, groundwater use is often enabled production and on farm water harvesting. combination of unlocking value from through surface water recharge and The access to irrigation and levels of rainfed farming, sustainable use of through electricity subsidies and hence poverty were closely correlated and groundwater and international trade in interconnected with other sectors of the provision of irrigation can be a powerful food grains has the potential of providing economy. There was limited success to tool for poverty alleviation. the extra food that Asian population will PIM/IMT in Asia so far but ways and need by 2050. Increasing productivity in means to enhance its value are tried. 

ICID News 2010/1 7 ICID Events 2010-11

61st IEC Meeting and 6th Asian Regional Conference, 10-16 October 2010, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

The theme of the abstract(s) has now been extended to [email protected]; Website: http:// conference is 26 March 2010. For more information, www.icid2010.org. “Improvement of please contact: Indonesian National irrigation and drainage Committee of ICID (INACID), Ministry of For assistance related to participation efficiency through Public Works, Directorate General of such as travel, accommodation, ground transportation, local tours and car rental, participatory irrigation Water Resources, Main Building, 3rd please contact the Conference Organizer: development and Flood, Jalan Pattimura No. 20, Kebayoran Pactoconvex Ltd., Lagoon Tower Level B1, management under the Baru, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia. Tel: +62 The Sultan Hotel, Jl. Jend. Gatot Subroto, small land holding 21 723-0317, 723-0318; Fax: +62 21 Jakarta 10270, Indonesia. Tel: +62-21- conditions”. The deadline 7261956, E-mail: [email protected]; 5705800; Website: http://www.pacto- for submission of [email protected]; convex.com

24th European Regional Conference, December 2010, Orleans, France

The title of the contact: Mr. Sami Bouarfa, Secrétaire Tel: +33.4.67.04.63.16, conference is Général, Association Française pour E-mail: [email protected], “Groundwater resource: l’Etude des Irrigations et du Drainage [email protected], Website: An essential resource to (AFEID), 361, rue Jean-François Breton, http://afeid.montpellier.cemagref.fr be saved and managed”. F - 34090 Montpellier, France. For details, please

25th European Regional Conference, 16-20 May 2011, Hampshire Hotel Plaza, Groningen, The Netherlands

The title of the Bert Toussaint, Chairman of Organizing 207 91 372, E-mail: [email protected] conference is “Integrated Committee, Ministry of Transport, Public or contact Pol Hakstege, Secretary, water management for Works and Water Management, NETHCID, Tel: +31 88 7972316, multiple land use in flat Rijkswaterstaat Centre for Corporate E-mail: [email protected]. coastal areas”. For more Services, P.O. Box 2232, 3500 GE [email protected], Website: http:// details, please contact: Utrecht, The Netherlands. Tel: +31 6 www.nethcid.nl

21st International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage, 62nd IEC Meeting, and 8th International Micro irrigation Congress, 15-23 October 2011, Tehran, Iran

The theme of the 21st IRNCID Secretariat, No. 1, Shahrsaz E-mail: [email protected], Congress is “Water Alley, Kargozar St., Zafar St., Tehran, [email protected], Website: http:// productivity towards Iran, Postal Code: 19198-34453. www.icid2011.org. The Call for Papers food security”. For Tel: (+9821) 2225 7348 – 22250162, can be downloaded from the website. details, please contact:

3rd African Regional Conference, 2011, Mali

For details, please Malienne des Irrigations et du Drainage 08 94, Fax: (223) 223 48 82, E-mail: contact: Dr. Adama (AMID), Au Modibo Keita, Im Sulla and [email protected]; [email protected] Sangare, Secretary Fils, BP 1840, BAMAKO, Mali. Tel: General, Association (223)222 75 21, Mobile No: (223 )674

 Please note that commencing from this issue the ICID Newsletter is renamed as ICID News Editor: Dr. S A Kulkarni, Executive Secretary, DTP: K.D. Tanwar, ICID Central Office, New Delhi, India E-mail : [email protected], Website : http://www.icid.org

ICID News 2010/1 8